A review by literarypenguin
Lonely Castle in the Mirror by Mizuki Tsujimura

adventurous dark emotional funny inspiring lighthearted mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Lonely Castle In The Mirror was such a delight to read! It's focus on mental illness & finding friendship in the most unexpected places was what made the book so magical to me. 

The last half of the book was definitely my favorite part, when all of the events of the book started to come together and we learn more about the pasts of each character. The writing was very exquisite and I could actually see the castle and the characters in my mind. 

The themes of mental illness and the negative effects of bullying on a young person was very well presented in this book. Kokoro's fear of going back to school and uncertainty about her own future, I felt a personal connection to that. The others personal and family struggles were very relevant too, each was so different and you felt bad for each and every one of them. 

I really enjoyed this book and I would love to read more translated works from different parts of the world. 
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